HOT SPRINGS BRIM WITH OLD WEST VIBE
As I was looking for some self-care in the Sierra Nevada after a knee injury, I heard about a longestablished hot springs at a little outpost called Benton near the Nevada border. The word was it offered funky lodging and some hot, healing, accessible mineral water. Locals have long claimed that these hot springs, with water at a consistent 140 degrees, are among the purest in the world. OK, why not? The tab: $139 for a room with private bath (taxes included) at the Old House and Inn at Benton Hot Springs; no charge for serenity or starry skies. Inn guests can choose from two tiled, above-ground tubs and one deck-level old-style spa — too tricky for someone with a bum knee to access. THE BED
The family-run inn, built to replace an older hotel, has seven B&B rooms (most with shared bathrooms and hot tubs), several renovated older houses (pet-friendly) with private hot tubs, and about a dozen camp sites with their own spring-fed hot tubs. My room at the inn, the only one with a private bathroom, was brimming with old-time decor (vintage suitcases created an attractive TV stand) along with a fridge/freezer, satellite TV and other modern amenities. The fluffy white robes and bedside flashlights encourage anytime visits to the hot springs-fed tubs in the garden out back. Other rooms rent for less.
THE MEAL
True confessions? The deli picnic (yes, wine included) that I brought for poolside snacking was enough for me in this rustic retreat. Why leave my healing hot tub and its view of the shimmering dark skies to zip 30 miles down U.S. 6 to Bishop’s dining options, including my favorite, the Mountain Rambler Brewery? My aching knee made the call: Stay submerged in this steaming pool. No driving. The next morning, the inn’s complimentary hot breakfast of quiche, eggs, berries and coffee was shared with other travelers who had insider tips on other local hot springs.
THE FIND
Old Benton or Benton Hot Springs, often confused with modern-day Benton, has a grand Old West history, including a murder at Convict Lake, a trading post that supplied mining sites and the Hotel Wai-Wera. The hotel supposedly attracted celebrities in the ’40s and ’50s for its curative baths and, of course, the hot springs. Today, there’s a self-guided tour of what’s left of the old town and opportunities to get inside the closed buildings for dinners and talks about local history.
THE LESSON LEARNED
Bring bug spray. Little biters found my ankles even in September. Yes, the inn did advise: “We are blessed with many mosquitoes.” The insects were a momentary inconvenience compared with the mentally restorative moments I found here.